Sony PS3 Slim to debut at $300

In an effort to combat its steady decline in sales, Sony announced that its mew PlayStation 3 Slim will debut in September at $300.

Weighing in at 36% less than the original PS3, the Slim is 32% smaller and will consume 34% less power. The unit will come standard with a 120GB drive. Users with a Sony TV remote will be able to take advantage of the BRAVIA Sync feature, which allows the gaming-media entertainment hybrid to be controlled via the remote so long as the unit is connected to a television by an HDMI cable.

Sony will also drop the prices on their original PS3 units by $100. The 80GB system will costs $300 while the 160GB system will be $400.

While the PS3 Slim doesn't hit the shelves until the first week of September, the discounted prices for the original units went into effect Wednesday.

With the PS3 Blue-ray player receiving positive reviews from PC World, and with Sony pricing the unit similar to the cost of a standard Blue-ray unit, purchasing the PS3 could be considered a smart decision since it's like getting the gaming part of the console for free.

And that is the type of thinking on which Sony is banking.